$100,000 for reforestation in Ecuador cloudforest

Tiny Footprint Coffee, the world’s first carbon-negative coffee, has crossed the $100,000 threshold in its funding toward the reforestation of the Mindo Cloudforest in Ecuador.

In partnership with the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation, Tiny Footprint has donated a portion of its coffee sales to the foundation’s reforestation projects, resulting in the planting of more than 74,000 trees in the Cloudforest since 2010, when the coffee was launched.

In funding the reforestation of the Mindo Cloudforest, Tiny Footprint Coffee is able to credibly offset the carbon footprint in creates in the production and distribution of its coffee. With each pound of coffee sold, Tiny Footprint donates a portion toward the planting of trees, which, throughout their lifetime, will take out 54 pounds of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

“It makes me smile thinking about how something that was just an idea in 2009 is now Tiny Footprint Coffee,” said Alan Krohnke, co-founder and co-owner of Tiny Footprint Coffee. “We’re making a difference in people’s lives, enhancing bio-diversity and fighting climate change all by having fun producing delicious, sustainable coffee. We could not have done it without a whole lot of people: the farmers and coffee pros in source countries; our talented team members; our incredible wholesale customers; and most importantly their customers — the people who drink our coffee day in and day out.”

In Ecuador, the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation has been able to contribute to the local economy through job creation and nursery sales beyond the project itself. The reforestation and preservation also contributes to habitat creation in one of the wettest and most bio-diverse places on the planet, an area that includes five BirdLife International Important Bird Areas (IBA).

As Tiny Footprint continues to donate, the Mindo Cloudforest Foundation plans to maintain its educational programs for researchers and students across the globe, in addition to continuing reforestation efforts in the Valley of Mindo and in Milpe.

Tiny Footprint’s environmental impact goes beyond the partnership with Mindo. By selling coffee to a growing community of sustainability-minded coffee retailers and coffee drinkers, Tiny Footprint is able to help bring an impact closer to individuals.

“Looking forward, I’m humbled by the task of making Tiny less “tiny” and more impactful for all of our partners and fans.” Krohnke added.